Closure elements for cabinets and the like



Nov. 20, 1962 E. H. PAILLARD ETAL 3,064,723

CLOSURE ELEMENTS FOR CABINETS AND THE LIKE Filed April :5, 1961 s Sheets-Sheet 1 I 'll,

a p a Nov. 20, 1962 E. H. PAILLARD ETAL 3,

CLOSURE ELEMENTS FOR CABINETS AND THE LIKE Filed April 5, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 h, 7' fir II b I Nov. 20, 1962 E. H. PAILLARD ETAL 3,064,723

CLOSURE ELEMENTS FOR CABINETS AND THE LIKE Filed April 5, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 20, 1962 E. H. PAILLARD ETAL, 3,

CLOSURE ELEMENTS FOR CABINETS AND THE LIKE Filed April 5, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 F|G.6 100 181 18017 172 74 Z t3 173178 183 182 11 Y ll"! A I I. I

% Ill Nov. 20, 1962 E. H. PAILLARD ETAL CLOSURE ELEMENTS FOR CABINETS AND THE LIKE Filed April 5, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 20, 1962 E. H. PAILLARD ETAL 3,064,723 1 Filed April 3, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 134 136 137 132 141 152 FIG-13 PEG/17 W 1%; flaw CLOSURE ELEMENTS FOR CABINETS AND THE LIKE Nov. 20, 1962 E. H. PAILLARD ETAL ,0

CLOSURE ELEMENTS FOR CABINETS 1mm THE LIKE Filed April 3, 1961 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 F|G.2O

mm 41M; W

W M EMMA=9IW- Nov. 20, 1962 E. H. PAILLARD ETAL 3,064,723

- CLOSURE ELEMENTS FOR CABINETS AND THE LIKE Filed April 3, 1961 v 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 3,954,723 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,064,723 CLOSURE ELEMENTS FUR CABINETS AND THE LIKE Edouard Henri Pailiard, Paris, and Christian Andi- Lucien Joly, Bondy, France, assignors to Compagnie des Machines Bali (Societe Anonyme), Paris, France Filed Apr. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 100,966 Claims priority, application France Apr. 14, 1960 6 Claims. (Cl. mil-1%) This invention relates to closure or partitioning devices and is concerned more especially with sliding panel structures for the closure of cabinets or for use as doors or partitions.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided a closure or partitioning device comprising a plurality of movable panels displaceable along guide rails and adapted to be juxtaposed to form a continuous partition in a plane, each movable panel being provided on its rear face with guide means adapted to guide and permit the displacement of the said panel along guide rails, each panel also being provided on its front face with guide rails corresponding to the guide means on the rear face and arranged to guide and support other movable panels in front of the said panel, a plurality of contiguous sections each comprising a section mechanism fast with a fixed frame and provided with a guide rail adapted to guide and support a panel in the said section, each section mechanism being adapted to bring the rail fast therewith into either of two positions, and to maintain it therein, i.e. a rear position in which the corresponding rail of the front face of a panel, supported by the rail of the said mechanism, is maintained in alignment with the guide rails of the front face of contiguous panels supported by section mechanisms in the rear position, or a forward position in which the guide rail, fast with the said section mechanism, is brought into alignment with the guide rails of the front face of contiguous panels in the rear position, or into alignment with guide rails of mechanisms of contiguous sections in the forward position, so that the guide means of the rear face of a panel supported by a section mechanism in the forward position can be engaged and displaced along guide rails of the front face of contiguous panels in the rear position, or along guide rails of mechanisms of contiguous sections in the forward position.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a partitioning device comprising movable panels displaceable parallel to a reference plane and a frame comprising sections corresponding to each panel, each section comprising a mechanism fixed to the said frame provided with a rail parallel to the said reference plane and with means for displacing the said rail perpendicularly to the reference plane in order to bring it into two different positions, i.e. a rear position and a forward position, so that the rails of the contiguous sections form a continuous rear or front running track when they are placed in corresponding positions, the panel corresponding to a particular section comprising on its rear face guide means resting on the rail of the said section.

The devices may conveniently be embodied in partition structures for the closure and protection of assemblies of large dimensions such as, for example, selector bays in large automatic telephone exchanges, units of large electronic computers, libraries, shop windows or the like.

For example, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, hereinafter more fully described, there is provided a protective partition having sliding doors, for an electronic computer unit.

In large electronic computer assemblies, also called data processing assemblies, the logical circuits, the switching circuits, the storage devices, amplifiers, and the like, occupy a considerable space and for reasons of convenience of, for example, assembly, access and control, are divided into units, some of which may reach dimensions of from 2 to 15 metres in length or more. These units are generally disposed in parallel lines, between which passageways are provided to afford rapid access to any point on the faces of the said units.

The embodiment to be described has been designed to provide for such electronic equipment, a protective partition device incorporating certain desired features, of which the following may be mentioned:

(1) All the movable panels forming a given section of the device are capable of being locked by means of a key device in the closed position, so that the panels can be moved only after unlocking of the section.

(2) The movable panels covering a given section are so designed that, after unlocking, they can be rapidly removed from the surface which they cover without danger of becoming detached or obstructing the passage between two units. The panels, when moved, do not obstruct the neighbouring sections and both faces thereof are simultaneously accessible. This is achieved by an assembly of devices by means of which it is possible to slide and stack one upon the other a certain number of panels. These panels can be automatically locked one upon the other and can be moved en bloc along guide rails and, if necessary, transferred from one end of a unit to the other.

(3) It is also possible, if necessary to remove one or more panels or even the panels closing one surface of a unit, without any special equipment.

(4) Sliding panels which have been moved can be returned into position in any location.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how it may be carried into effect, the same will now be described, by Way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an external view of a unit of an electronic computer closed by means of devices comprising movable panels designed in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 1, in which five panels have been stacked one upon the other and brought partly in front of a sixth panel,

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the assembly of a closure mechanism in the closed position, as seen along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a view of the mechanism of FIGURE 3, in the open position,

FIGURE 5 is a section to a larger scale along the line 55 of the mechanism of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view to a larger scale along the line 66 of the mechanism of FIGURE 4,

FIGURE 7 is a plan view corresponding to FIGURE 1 and 2 and showing closure panels for two faces of a cabinet, in different positions,

FIGURE 8 is a section along the line 8- 8, to a smaller scale, of FIGURE 4, showing a system for locking a number of mechanisms by means of a key device, in the open position,

FIGURE 9 is a view corresponding to FIGURE 8, showing the key locking device in the closed position,

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary sectional view along the line 10-10 of FIGURE 14,

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary sectional view along the line 11-11 of FIGURE 15,

FIGURE 12 is a section along the line 12-12 of FIGURE 13,

FIGURE 13 is a plan view of a lower mechanism along the line 13-13 of FIGURE 3,

FIGURE 14 is a sectional view along the line 1414 the internal equipment.

of the lower mechanism illustrated in FIGURES 3, 12 and 13.

FIGURE 15 is a sectional view along the line 1414 of the. lower mechanism in the position in which it is illustrated in FIGURE 4,

F GURE. 1 is. se i n lo he. lin 1 1 of the l w r me an sm f F GU E n h po i n n whichit is illustratedin FIGURE 3 FIGURE 17 is a section along the line 1717 of FIG- URE IZ,

FIGURE 18 is a section along the line 18 18 of F URE. 12

FIGUR 1.9 is a se i n lon t ne. 1 f FIGURE 22,

FIGURE 20 is a sectional plan view along the line 20.2.0 of FIGURE 2.1., bu With certain parts removed,

FIGURE 21 is a View corresponding partially to the view of FIGURE 3, but with the upper part of a panel assumed to have. .6611 cut through the centre along the line 21.Z.1 of FIGURES,

FIGURE 22 is a sectional view of theupper mechanism along the line. 22:22 of FIGURE. 19, and

FIGURE 23 is a variant of FIGURE, 22.

FIGURE 1- is an external view of a face of. anassembly containing an electronic computer unit, the cabinet. thus formed resting. on a double floor, below which there pass electric conductors connecting the said unit to other units of a computer assembly. Below this double floor there also pass ventilation conduits (not shown) for the air conditioning of certain parts of the unit. That face of. the cabinet which is shown, is illustrated as having een closed by six devices comprising movable panels designed. in accordance with; the invention, It. will hereinafter be seen that similar devices may without. any ditficulty be provided to contain units five to ten times as long In FIGURE 1, movable panels. 11 to 16 are, maintained 'in position (closed) by upper mechanisms '21 to, 26 andv lower mechanisms 31 to 3 6. The ends of'the cabinet areclosedby fixed but detachable panels 28. and 29. The mpvahle panels. are provided in their upper part with rail sections 41 to 46 respectively, which can be regarded as embellishing means when the assembly is closed. Rail sectionsSlf tov 56 are also disposed in the lower part of the said panels. Each movable panel is provided with a. ventilation grid. 48 in its lower part. Thecabinet as I illustrated in FIGURE 2, is.shown with five, open movable panels stacked one, upon the other and connected together by means which willhereinafter he described, which panels partly cover a sixth panel in the closed position.

FIGURE, 7 shows in plan view a cabinet which is illustrated with movable panels belonging to the front face and to the rear face, which have been withdrawn from the closing positions, The. upper part of the cabinet is normally closed by detachable panels 18, of which five have been removed to show a number of details of the nternal, arrangement of the cabinet. The upper front mechanisms 21 to 26 are fixedto an upper front angle iron 38 which is in turn fixed to the frame of the apparatus 49 of the computer unit contained in the cabinet. Upper reap mechanisms 61 to 66 are fixed to an upper rear. angle iron 67 which is also fixed to. the frame of The end panels 28 and 29 are also fixed in their upper part to the angle irons. 38 and 67.

FIGURES 3 and 4 show in different positions the upper mechanism 21 and the lower mechanism 31 which, in FIGURE 1, support the first movable panel 11. These mechanism are shown in section along the line 3-=-3 of FIGURE 1.. The movable panel 11 is provided in its upper part with rollers 71 and. 72 resting on a rail 74 fast with two bars 75 and, 76. Since FIGURES 3 and 4 are sectional views, reference will be made to FIGURE 7, which shows in plan. view the relative arrangement of; the rollers 71 and 72 on panels which have been withdrawn, and to FIGURE 20,. which shows in plan view the rail 74 and the bars 75 and 76. 7 These bars are supported by links 7778 and 77A78A fast with the rods 79-80 which are adapted to rock in apertures formed in the frame 21A of 'the upper mechanism 21 (FIGURES 3 and A spring 82 is fixed and stretched beween the links 77 and 78 in such manner as to rock the said links in the direction of the arrow F (FIGURE 3).

Fixedly mounted on the rod 79 (FIGURES 20 and 22.) is a link 83 provided with a dog 84. In the position of the mechanism as illustrated in FIGURES 3, 20 and 22, the said dog bears against a latch 86 fast with a lever 88 through a pin 89. The lever 88, which is adapted to rock about the rod 80, is constantly urged towards an adjustable abutment 8 1 (FIGURES 19' and 20.) by a spring 90 which is engaged at one end with the pin 89 and at the other end with a fixed dog 91 fast with the frame 21A.

The latch 86 is guided between two adjustable washers 92 and 93 (FIGURES 19 and 23 which are also fast with the frame 21A. Two retractable dogs 1% and 101 adapted to pivot about two pins 162 and 103 fast with, the fixed frame 21A are brought against adjustable abutments )5 and 96 respectively (FIGURES 19 and 22). under the action of springs 97 and 98. The retractable dogs lfliland 101 can pass (FIGURES 3, 5 and 19 to 22) into recesses 165 and 106 (FIGURES 5, 6 and. 19)

formed in the rail 74; A switch 110 (FIGURES 19 and. 20) is provided with a lever 111 disposed in such manner that a movable panel 11 in the retracted position (FIGURE 3) on the rail 74' pushes the lever 111. and closes the contact of the said switch.

In cabinets of large dimensions, latching mechanisms comprising a lock may be provided to. permit of securing a number of mechanisms for operating the. movable. panels. A lock 114. (FIGURES, 1 to 4) permits of. se-- curing the six upper mechanisms of the illustrated cabinet. Details of the locking mechanism are shownin. FIGURES 3, 4, 8, 9, 22 and. 23.. An eccentric. roller 7 116 (FIGURE 8) i arranged, to be turned in a cage. 117

about the pin 118, of the lock 114 by means of a key. The cage 117 .is fastwith acylinder 12.50: adapted to slide, in an aperture 121 formed in the frame of the mechanism 21A. A steel cable 122 is fixed to. the frame of the mechanism 26, which is situated at the other end. ofthe cabinet, through a spring 125 which maintains. the said cablein thetensioned. condition. Each operating mechanism is. provided with a cylinder 124 which is. fixed on the cable 122, by. means of a screw 126,. In FIGURE. 8, the mechanism is illustrated in the open position, that is to say, as a result of the position of the eccentric roller 116in the cage 117, the cylinder 120 and the cylinders 124 are in their extreme left-hand positions. Under these. conditions, the levers 88A1 to 38A6. of the operating mechanisms. can be lowered, for example by a pressing action on portion 83A1 of the lever 88 (FIG-. URE 22) in the direction of the arrow. P. In FIGURE 9, the eccentric roller 116 has been brought to the closing. position. In this case, the cylinders 1'20 and 124 are so disposed as to prevent lowering of the levers 88A1 to. 88A6 and the operating mechanisms, arev locked as will hereinafter be shown.

Themovable panels aredependent upon the upper and. lower mechanisms. The lower mechanism 31 (FIGURE 13) which is shown in section in FIGURE 3, comprises a frame; 31A which is fixed to an angle iron which is in turn fixed (FIGURE 17) to the frames 131 of the units contained in the cabinet, A guide rail 132 (FIG-. URES 3, 4, l3. and 17) is provided with bars 134 and. 135 coupledv tolinks 136-137-138 and: 139. Theselinks are mounted on rods 140 and 141 adapted to pivot in apertures formed in the frame 31A of thelower mechanism. A spring 143 is fixed (FIGURE 13) at one end to. the link 138, and at the; other end to a dog 144,

fast with the frame 31A and tends to bring, the guide rail 13 2 towards an advanced position (FIGURES 4 and 17-) in which. the exact position of the railis determined by the adjustment of an abutment screw 136a which is fast with the rail 132 and, in this position, bears against the frame 31A. The rail 132 of the lower mechanism may be retained (FIGURE 18) by a pawl 150 pivoting about a pin 151 fixed to a block 152 fast with the frame 31A. A spring 153 pushes the pawl 150 against an adjustable abutment 154. The rail 132 is provided with an adjustable plate 155 which engages with the nose 156 of the pawl 150 when the guide rail 132 is in the rear position.

FIGURES 10, 11, 13, 14 and 15 show a device which has the object of preventing lateral displacement of the bottom of a movable panel along the lower guide rail when the latter is in the rear position, that is to say, retracted. For this purpose, the guide rail 132 is provided with a tube 160 (FIGURES 10, 11, 13, 14 and 15) in which there is slidably disposed a spindle 161 .fast with a plate 162. A coil spring 163 coiled on the tube 160 removes the plate 162 from the guide rail 132. In addition, a spring 164 is engaged at one end with the plate 162 and at the other end with 3. lug 165 fast with the frame 31A. The operation of this device is illustrated in plan view in FIGURES l and 11 and in sectional elevation in FIGURES 14 and 15. When the guide rail is in the advanced position (FIGURES 11 and 15), the spring 164, which is not tensioned (FIGURE 15), enables the spring 163 to expand and the spindle 161 is retracted into the tube 169. On the other hand, when the rail 132 is in the retracted position (FIGURES l0 and 14), the spring 164 is tensioned, compresses the spring 163 and causes the spindle 161 to move out of the tube 166. If at this instant a movable panel 11 is engaged on the guide rail 132, the spindle 161 enters a cavity 166 in the panel and prevents any movement of the latter along the rail.

In an assembly designed in accordance with the invention, all the movable panels of a closure device have, in principle, identical features in regard to their relations with the operating mechanisms, and they may also have differences which are justified in accordance with the applications.

The movable panel 11 illustrated in FIGURES l, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, ll, 14, 15 and 21 is provided in its upper part with rollers 71 and 72 as already mentioned. Counterrollers 69 and 70 are disposed below each roller to prevent disengagement of a movable panel from the rail supporting it when the latter is in the advanced position (FIGURE 4). In FIGURES 3, 4, and 6, for reasons which will hereinafter become apparent, it has been assumed that a movable panel 11A has been disposed upon a panel 11. The references of the panel 11A are the same as those of the panel 11, but with the alphabetic index A. Disposed between the rollers 71 and 72 is a centering lug 73 (FIGURES 5, 6, 7 and 21) for the panel 11 and a centering lug 73A for the panel 11A.

The rail 41 (41A in the case of the panel 11A) which is disposed at the front upper portion of the panel 11, may serve as a running track for other panels. Likewise, the rail 51 disposed at the lower part of the panel 11 may serve as a guide rail for other panels as will hereinafter be shown. Each panel is provided in its lower part with two guides 170 disposed at each end of the said panel. These guides are disposed astride a lower guide rail.

In order to permit the simultaneous displacement of a number of stacked panels made fast with one another, the upper rail of each movable panel is provided with a locking device comprising pawls. This device is so arranged that when a panel is on a supporting mechanism in the retracted position, the said pawls are retracted to permit the passage of other panels on the upper rail of the said panel, while when the supporting mechanism is brought into the advanced position, the said Pawls are freed so as to lock on the rail a panel or a stack of panels situated on the rail at this instant. For this purpose, each panel is internally provided (FIGURES 5, 6 and 21) with two pawls 172 and 173. These pawls can rock about two pins 175 and 176 respectively and are forced back by a spring 178 so as to project normally into the groove 180 of the upper guide rail when the said panel is not on an upper mechanism in the retracted position (FIG- URES 4 and 6).

The pawls 172 and 173 are provided with lugs 181 and 182 which in this case are applied under the action of the spring 178 against a supporting plate 183 (FIG- URE 6) fixed to the upper part of the panel. When a panel is on an upper mechanism in the retracted position, the retractable dogs and 101 (FIGURE 5) push the lugs 181 and 182 of the pawls, which rock and completely disengage the groove 180 of the upper rail on which other panels may then be displaced, while (FIG- URE 6) when the upper mechanism is in the advanced position the dogs 1% and 101 no longer act on the lugs of the pawls and the latter project into the groove 181) in the locking position.

The operation of the device comprising movable panels, of which the main elements have just been described, is as follows:

Assuming that the panels 11 to 16 of a cabinet are in the retracted position (FIGURE 1) and the key mechanism for locking the panels is open (FIGURE 8), the operation for withdrawing a movable panel 11 is as follows: A pressure is exerted in the direction of the arrow P (FIGURE 22) on the upper portion 88A1 of the lever 33. Rocking of the said lever about the rod 80 raises the latch 86, which disengages the dog 84 from the link 83. Under the action of the spring 82 (FIGURES 3 and 4), the links 77 and 78 pass from the rear position (FIG- URES 3, 20, 21, 22 and 23) to the advanced position (FIGURE 4). In this movement, the upper guide rail 74 of the upper mechanism 21 becomes positioned in the place previously occupied by the rail 41, that is to say, exactly in alignment with the rails 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 of the other panels in the rear position. In moving forwards, the rail 74 performs a double movement:

(1) A forward movement whose amplitude is represented by the length AV (FIGURE 4) (2) A downward movement of magnitude DC (FIG- URE 4).

The initial position being the position illustrated in FIGURE 3, lowering of the lower part of the panel 11 lowers the pawl and, under the action of the springs 142 and 143 (FIGURES 3 and 13), the lower guide rail 132 takes the place of the lower rail 51 and is positioned exactly in alignment with the lower guide rails 52 to 56 of the other panels in the rear position. From this instant, the panel 11 can be moved on the outer guide rails of the other panels as far as the end of the cabinet by travelling along said guide rails. In order to move a number of panels for the purpose of clearing a predetermined space, a number of the said panels may be stacked one upon the other. For this purpose, it is suflicient, for example, to bring a (free) panel in front of a panel to be moved and to proceed as just described. The panel positioned in front of the panel to be moved will be automatically locked thereon in the manner described With reference to FIGURES 5 and 6. In this way, a number of panels can be stacked one upon the other and shifted as shown in FIGURE 2. For repositioning a single panel, or one forming a part of a stack of panels, this panel is brought in front of a supporting mechanism in the advanced position (FIGURE 4). Pressure is applied by the handto the upper portion 83A1 of the lever 88 (FIGURE 22) to disengage the latch 86 from the mechanism. At the same time, the upper portion of the panel is pushed to the rear to bring the upper mechanism to the rear position, whereafter the lever 88 is released. A push thereafter exerted towards the lower portion of the panel brings the lower mechanism to the rear position (FIGURE 3) and engages the rail 132 on the latch 159. By bringing the upper portion of the panel 11 a into the rear position (FIGURES 3 and 5), the retractable 088 100 and 101 (FIGURE 5) push the pawls 172 and 173 and release the centering lug 73A of the panel 11A, which can in turn be moved along the guide rails whether or not the said panel is supporting other panels. It is also possible to disengage a panel or a group of panels locked together. For this purpose, an upper empty mechanism, that is to say, one without a panel, is brought into the rear position. and the corresponding lower mechanism is also brought into the rear position. In this way the guide rails of these. mechanisms being in the rear position, it is easy to disengage a panel by causing it to slide in front of the guide rails of the retracted mechanisms. A panel can thus be withdrawn from or re-introduced into the device. The upper and lower mechanisms in the retracted position can thereafter be brought into the forward position to restore the continuity Of h guide rails.

In the example, a device has been described which comprises panels which are higher than they are wide and which. extend over the entire height of the cabinet. A cabinet may also 'be closed by means of similar devices which are superposed. In this case, the upper mechanism may be constructed in. the following manner. The lever 88. (FIGURE 23-) is provided with. an extension 8813 passing through an aperture 87 formed in the frame 21B of the upper mechanism. A pressure exerted in the direction of the arrow R on the extension 88B of the lever 88 disengages the latch. 86 of. the upper. mechanism. With this arrangement, it is possible to superpose a number of devices comprising movable panels. It is possible without departing from the spirit of the invention to provide any other device considered suitable for controlling. the latch 86. Naturally, the example described has no limiting character and, for example, the means for the translational movement of the guide means of the upper mechanisms, which have.- been illustrated as comprising links, could. also be. formed of oblique. slides. Likewise, movable panels may he formed of insulating panels with, or without apertures which may or may not be provided with internal metallic screens, or of decorated or Undecorated glass. panels, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We. claim:

1. In a partitioning device, a plurality of movable panels displaccable along guide rails to. be juxtaposed to form. in a plane a continuous partition, each movable panel being provided. on its, rear face with upper guide means and lower guide. means to guide and permit of displacing the. said panel along. guide rails, and each panel being also provided onv its.

front face with an upper guide rail and a. lower guide. nail corresponding to said. guidemeans of the. rear face of; the panel to. guide and support other movable panels in front of the said panel, a plurality of contiguous sections, each comprising a section mechanism fast with a fixed. frame, each section being provided with an upper. guide.

rail fast with an upper section mechanism and with a.

lower guide rail fast with a; lower section mechanism to guide. and; support: a panel in each section and to permit.

of bringing the. guide rail fast with. each mechanism into either of twov positions and. maintaining. its therein, Le. a rear position in which the corresponding rail. of the. front face. of a panel supported by the rail of the said section mechanism is maintained in alignment with. the rails Of the front face of contiguous panels supported by mechanisms of sections in the rear position, or a forward position in which the guide rail fast with the said section mechanism. is brought intoalignment with the guide rails of' the front. face of'cont-iguous panels supported by mechanisms of sections in the rear position or into alignment with guiderails of mechanisms of contiguous sections in the forward position, so thatthe upper and lower guide means of the rear faceof a movable panel brought into theforward position can be engaged 8 and displaced along the upper guide rails and the lower guide rails of the front face of contiguous panels sup ported by mechanisms of sections in the rear position or along guide rails of upper mechanisms and lower mechanisms of contiguous sections in the forward position.

2. A partitioning device according to claim 1, wherein the rail of the upper mechanism of a section is fast with bars supported by parallel links rocking about pins fast with a fixed frame, the said links being so disposed that the rail fast therewith can be displaced from a forward position to a rear position or vice versa, and in such mannor that the rail is higher in the rear position than in the forward position, the said links being fast with a spring so disposed as continuously to push the said rail towards the forward position, this position being determined by an abutment, a manually disengageable locking device retaining the said rail in the rear position, the rail of the lower mechanism of the said section being fast with bars supported by parallel links rocking about pins fast with a fixed frame, the rail fast therewith being displaceable from a forward position to a rear position or vice versa, the said links being fast with a spring so disposed as continuously to push the said rail towards the forward position, this position. being determined by an abutment,the rail of the lower mechanism being retained in the rear position by means of a manually or automatically disen gageable pawl, the said pawl being so positioned that when a movable panel is engaged on the guide rails of the upper and lower mechanisms of the said section, and the rails of the said mechanisms are both in the rear position, the manual disengagement of the locking device of the upper mechanism and the action of the spring on the links of the said mechanism produce the displacement of the rail of the said upper mechanism accompanied by a downward movement, the panel which it supports descends and the lower portion of the said panel lowers the: pawl which retains the rail of the lower .mechanism of the section in the rear. position, permits the advance of this rail under the action of thecorrespondingspring; and the advance of the upper portion and of the lower portion of the panel engaged on. the mechanisms of the said section, brings the rear, lower and upper guide means of the said panel into alignment with the guidev rails of the front face of a contiguous panel in the rear position or into alignment with the guide rails of contiguous mechanisms in the forward position, permitting of engagingv and displacing the said panel along the said guide rails.

' 3. A partitioning device according to. claim l, wherein each movable panel is provided with a, locking pawl normally projecting in relation tov the front face of the said panel and. in which each. section. is provided'with dogsso that when a movable panel isin a. section and. is brought from the forward position to the; rear position, the said dogs actv on the said pawls, rock. them and disengage, the

front face of the said panel so asv to permit the displacement of another movable panel. along the. rails ofthe front. face of the. said panel in. the rear position, the section mechauismssupporting the panel being brought into the forward position, the. pawls. of the said. panel are no longer subjected to the action of the dogs and again. projfect from the frontface of. the panel so as. to lock a panel. positioned on. the guide. rails. ofthe front face of the said panel', a number ofwhicli panels may thus be superposed, locked in. relation. to one another and. displaced together along guide. rails of mechanisms of contiguous. sections. in. the, forward position or; along guide, railsv of panels in. the. rear position, of which the pawls. havev been retracted.

4. A partitioning device. according to claim 3, wherein the locking pawls 0f the front face of the movablepanels; project into a groove inv a guide; rail of the front faceof' the said. panels.

5'. A. partitioning device according to claim. 4, wherein. the. locking-pawls of thefront face-of the. movablepanels proj'ectinto. a groove in. the upper guide, rail. ofthe. front. face of the said panels.

62 A partitioning device according to claim 1, wherei'n the manually operable locking devices of a plurality of upper mechanisms of contiguous sections are each provided with a sliding member movable to occupy one of two positions, in one of these positions the said sliding member locking the manually operable locking member of the upper mechanism of the said section, the sliding members of a number of sections being fast with one another and operable by means of a single lock by means of which the upper mechanism of a plurality of sections can be simultaneously locked or unlocked.

References (Iited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Guth et a1 Nov. 10, 1953 Oden July 7, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS France Oct. 3, 1932 

